On medical images obtained by conventional X-ray image diagnosis apparatuses or the like, dynamic range compression processing (DRC processing) is performed to enhance contrast at a guide wire, a catheter, a blood vessel, etc. DRC processing is processing for compressing low-frequency components of an input image.
For extraction of low-frequency components in DRC processing, a method (Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 9-182093) which uses an infinite impulse response (IIR) filter (also called a recursive filter) is known.
The recursive filter is a feedback-type filter which performs present smoothing processing by using the results of preceding smoothing processing, and which is capable of efficiently extracting low-frequency components by a smaller amount of computation in comparison with FIR filters.
A top-bottom/left-right recursive filter performs recursive filtering processing by reciprocating along top-bottom and left-right directions with respect to the direction of scanning on an input image, i.e., four cycles of recursive filtering processing in total, to obtain an unsharpened image free from phase distortion (Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 9-182093).
The conventional recursive filter performing recursive filtering on an input image by reciprocating along top-bottom and left-right directions, i.e., four cycles of recursive filtering processing in total, requires at least a time for input of one frame of image data in obtaining an output value for a particular one of pixels. Thus, DRC processing using a top-bottom/left-right recursive filter is not suitable for real-time processing because of a large delay due to image processing.
An object of the present invention is to provide an image processing device having only a short delay due to image processing and a small amount of computation, free from an artifact such as black region in a processed image, and capable of largely improving contrast for a medium-to-fine detail of an image such as a catheter.